The best things to do in Antalya

1.Kaleiçi old townFree

A maze of lanes inside the old city walls, lined with restored Ottoman houses, boutique hotels, courtyard cafés and bougainvillea.

Tip: Wander it in the early evening, when the day-trippers leave and the courtyard restaurants light up.

2.Hadrian's GateFree

A triple-arched Roman gate built for the emperor Hadrian's visit in 130 AD, still the main way into the old town.

Tip: Look down at the ancient road surface under the arches, with ruts worn into the stone by cart wheels.

3.The old harbour and a boat trip

The Roman harbour below the cliffs, now full of wooden gulets offering trips along the coast.

Tip: The longer trips go east to see the Lower Düden waterfall from the sea; agree the route and length before you board.

4.Yivli Minare and Hıdırlık TowerFree

The fluted 13th-century Seljuk minaret that is the symbol of the city, and a round Roman tower at the edge of the old town above the sea.

Tip: Go to the park by Hıdırlık Tower for sunset, with the mountains across the bay.

5.Konyaaltı BeachFree

A long beach of pebbles and clear water west of the centre, backed by a park promenade and the Taurus Mountains.

Tip: The beach is public; you only pay if you rent a sunbed. Bring water shoes for the pebbles.

6.The Tünektepe cable car

A cable car from the west end of Konyaaltı up to a 600-metre summit with a view over the whole bay and city.

Tip: Go up at sunset and have a drink at the café at the top.

7.Lower Düden waterfallFree

A river that drops straight off the cliffs into the sea, in a park on the way to Lara.

Tip: The park is free; the Upper Düden falls in the north of the city are a different, shady spot where you can walk behind the water.

8.Lara BeachFree

A long sandy beach east of the city, lined with big all-inclusive resorts, some built to look like famous landmarks.

Tip: There are public stretches between the hotels if you aren't staying at one.

9.Perge

A large Greek and Roman city about 17 km east, with a colonnaded street, a stadium, baths and a towered Hellenistic gate.

Tip: Go early: there is little shade. Many statues found here are now in the Antalya Museum.

10.Termessos

A ruined city high in the mountains of a national park, with a theatre perched on the edge of a cliff.

Tip: Wear good shoes: it's a steep walk up from the car park. Few tours go, so you may have it almost to yourself.

11.Köprülü Canyon

A deep river canyon in a national park inland, the place for white-water rafting, with a Roman bridge still standing.

Tip: Rafting trips with hotel pick-up run from spring to autumn; the rapids are gentle enough for beginners.

12.The theatre of Aspendos

One of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere, built in the 2nd century AD, still used for concerts and opera.

Tip: Check if a performance is on during your stay; it's an unforgettable venue. It's about 20 minutes from Belek.

13.Ancient Side

A town on a peninsula built over the ruins of a Roman city, with a big theatre and the columns of the Temple of Apollo by the sea.

Tip: See the Temple of Apollo at sunset, then have dinner at the harbour.

14.Alanya Castle and the Red Tower

Seljuk walls winding up a rocky headland, with the octagonal Red Tower guarding the harbour below.

Tip: Take the cable car up from Damlataş beach and walk back down past the old houses.

15.Cleopatra Beach and Damlataş CaveFree

Alanya's fine-sand beach under the castle hill, and a small cave of stalactites right on the seafront.

16.Phaselis

A Lycian port city in a pine forest by the sea, with ruins between three little bays where you can swim.

Tip: Bring a swimsuit and a picnic; it's a short drive from Kemer.

17.The Tahtalı cable car

A cable car up Tahtalı Mountain, 2,365 metres above the sea, with views along the coast and over the Taurus range.

Tip: Go on a clear morning. It can be cold at the top even in summer, so take a layer.

18.Olympos and the Chimaera flames

Ruins in a wooded valley that runs down to a beach, and nearby the Chimaera, flames that burn day and night from gas vents in the hillside.

Tip: Walk up to the Chimaera from Çıralı after dark, when the flames are most striking; bring a torch.